


Slow (And Steady Rush)

by SyciaraLynx



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Adam is an A+++ boyfriend, Angst, Aurora Lynch (mentioned) - Freeform, Dancing, Fluff, M/M, Soft Boys, dealing with grief
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-24 04:11:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17697413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SyciaraLynx/pseuds/SyciaraLynx
Summary: "He dreamed of her."Adam felt his stomach clench at that. "Nightmare?"Opal shook her head, dislodging him and backing away. "They were dancing. Kerah was younger. And smaller. They danced and danced." As she said it, she continued twirling from where she left off. "He brought something back."





	Slow (And Steady Rush)

Ronan wasn't answering his phone. Which shouldn't have been a surprise, Ronan would go to great lengths to avoid answering anyone on the phone. The problem though, was that he always answered Adam.  
  
It was Friday. Adam had texted him in the morning, saying his evening classes were cancelled, and he would be driving out that afternoon instead of the following morning.  
  
No response right away, which wasn't unusual. Ronan probably would've been out with the animals.  
  
Hours passed. Adam finished his morning classes. Still no reply. He called, and nothing. He called again, left a message, frowning as he hit 'end call.'  
  
His anxiety grew on the three hour drive back to the Barns, and it only got worse the closer he got. As he pulled up to park beside the BMW, he couldn't seem to stop his pulse from jack-rabbiting. What if something had happened? What if he tried to dream and had been hurt with no one around? What if? _What if?_  
  
Adam jogged up the stairs into the house, unlocked door slamming into the wall when he shoved it open. Upstairs, the bedrooms were unoccupied. The only life in the whole house was a lamp left on in the living room. Adam could feel his heart in his throat.  
  
As he ran back out towards the barns, Opal galloped out of one towards him. Instead of stopping when she got to him, she twirled around him in some strange, intricate pattern. Adam reached a hand out to catch her shoulder, holding her in place for a moment. "Is Ronan in there?" He asked, gesturing to the barn she had just left.  
  
She allowed herself to be stopped briefly, peering up at him. "He is in a sad place."  
  
Which wasn't really an answer. Or maybe it was? Adam frowned, "Is he sad?" She didn't reply, but she looked down and away, which answered the question. "Do you know why?"  
  
"He dreamed of her."  
  
Adam felt his stomach clench at that. "Nightmare?"  
  
Opal shook her head, dislodging him and backing away. "They were dancing. Kerah was younger. And smaller. They danced and danced." As she said it, she continued twirling from where she left off. "He brought something back."  
  
Adam strode away from her to the open door. When he caught sight of Ronan in the shadowed barn he was sitting on the floor, leaning against hay bales at the far end. On the ground beside him was a small music box, a golden figurine posed at the ready, unmoving.  
  
Adam pulled the door shut with a click behind him, and Ronan snapped his gaze up to meet his. His eyes were red-rimmed, but dry, and his expression was carefully blank. Adam didn't pause, he just crossed the room and knelt in front of him. He brought his hand up to grip the back of Ronan's neck. The steady pulse against his thumb shouted alive, alive, _alive,_ and Adam finally released his breath.  
  
Then he saw the phone sitting beside him in the dust. Red light blinking a missed call alert.  
  
He wanted to be mad, wanted to shout that Ronan scared the shit out of him, wanted to ask why the hell Ronan hadn't answered, but as soon as he thought the question, the answer came in flashes in his own mind. Ronan, waking from a dream, alone in the barn. He hadn't dared to move a muscle, just tried to fall back alseep. Hoping desperately to claw his way back in for just a few more moments, but it hadn't worked. He hadn't been able to move.  
  
_"Oh Ronan,"_ Adam breathed into the chilly air.  
  
And there it was, the crack in the mask. Ronan's eyes darted to the music box and away, jaw clenching. His own hands came up and gripped the front of Adam's shirt, and that was all the permission Adam needed. He pulled Ronan into his arms as he felt him take a few shuddering breaths against his throat. His whole body was shaking under Adam, like he had held out till right this second to open the floodgates.  
  
Adam pressed a lingering kiss to Ronan's temple, his knees ached on the concrete but he ignored it. He had endured far worse for far less. He held him silently until the shuddering subsided. When Ronan had managed a few full deep breaths, he said, "tell me about the dream."  
  
The words were pressed into his collar bone. "She was there, Adam. She was _there_ and it would've been so easy. She was in my arms and I could've- fuck." Ronan's voice broke again, and Adam tightened his arms further.  
  
"It wouldn't have been her. You know that. It would just be a copy Ronan, and that would be worse." Adam couldn't imagine what this scene would've been like if that _had_ happened.  
  
Ronan huffed. "I know. I know that, but it still fucking sucks that I had to let go of her. I had to leave her behind in that dream."  
  
"You still came back with some of her." Adam drew back a bit, directing his gaze to the figurine. "What does it play?"  
  
Ronan stilted a laugh. "Faith-Fucking-Hill. She loved that one song. We all hated it, but if it came on the radio she would grab whoever was closest and make them dance with her."  
  
Adam raised an eyebrow. "I have a hard time imagining Declan dancing to country music."  
  
"Didn't have a choice, you couldn't say no to her." Ronan smiled at that, eyes distant.  
  
Adam was struck with an idea.  
  
He stretched over Ronan's leg to reach the music box, wound it, and placed it gently beside them. He stood and offered his hand to Ronan as the first quiet guitar chords echoed in the barns. Ronan eyed his hand warily.  
  
"C'mon Lynch, I can't dance but I know you can." Adam waved his hand at him until Ronan gripped it and hauled himself up. The edges of his face softened when Adam cradled his jaw and kissed him slowly. Ronan pulled his hand away and placed it against his hip, his own going to Adam's ribs.  
  
And then they danced.  
  
Adam wasn't lying, he couldn't dance for shit, but he was a quick study, and soon they were spinning through the dusty barn floor.  
  
He rewound the music box again and again, until their laughter was louder than the song. 

**Author's Note:**

> Listen, Breathe by Faith Hill is a fantastic Pynch song and I take no criticism on that fact. 
> 
> Also you better believe Adam sneaks this in as their first dance song at their wedding and EVERYONE cries. Even Declan.
> 
> Alert me to any spelling/grammatical errors! 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this angst fest. <3


End file.
